Skin Cancer Treatment

Who gets skin cancer and Why?

Skin cancer is the mostly seen cancer type all over the world. More than 500 000 cases are observed in USA every year. The increase rate of skin care is more than other cancer types. The skin cancer can be seen at any part of the body but 80% is seen on the face, head and neck.

The main reason is the ultraviolet rays coming from the sun. Solarium, i.e. artificial sun rays, is also included. Everyone might have skin cancer. Skin type, race, age, the location and job doe s not matter. However if you have the factors listed below, the risk increases:

If your skin color is light and you have freckles, if you have light eye color and light hair color, if you have skin cancer history in your family, if you are spending too much time in open air under the sun, if you are living in a sunny country and you are at a high altitude, if you had radiation treatment for your adolescent acne.

Skin Cancer Types:

The mostly observed skin cancer type is the “basal cell carcinoma”. It is the least dangerous and it develops very slowly and rarely has metastases. It rarely threatens life, however it makes serious local damage (especially around the eyes).

“Squamous cell cancer” is the second frequent cancer type. It is mostly seen on the lips, face and ears. It can diffuse to the far distances to the gland nodes and interior organs. If it is not treated it might threaten life.

“Malign melanoma” is the most dangerous skin cancer type. Even though it is rarely observed, its incidence is often. If it is diagnosed at early stages it can be treated. If it is not immediately treated malign melanoma is diffused to the body and causes death. If you notice wounds on your face, hands or any part of your body that do not heal in a month, consult your physician. Cancer will be investigated by taking a little sample from the wound and sending it to the pathological investigation. In addition, the treatment method can be decided accordingly.

Operation Method:

The first option of treatment of cancer is surgery, i.e. taking away the tissue with cancer. If the skin cancer has small dimensions, it can be removed by simple excision. The operation is completed without leaving any marks. If it is bigger, and it is spread to the gland nodes, then the only solution is surgery. The first aim of cancer surgery is to get rid of all the tissue that has cancer. If it is too large to be taken away by surgery and it is spread to the organs, than radio therapy (ray treatment) and chemotherapy (drug treatment) is applied.

Reconstructive techniques:

The surgical treatment of cancer varies from simple excision to reconstructive techniques. Nose, lips and eye are the areas to which these techniques can be applied.